Club Patron Guilty In Deputy's Shooting

September 30, 1995|By Debbie Salamone of The Sentinel Staff

A man who shot an Orange County deputy sheriff outside a nightclub in January was convicted Friday of attempted manslaughter.

It wasn't what prosecutors wanted. It wasn't what the defense attorney wanted. But oddly enough, everyone else involved in the case - including the injured deputy and the shooter's family - was satisfied.

Jurors took about three hours to find Billy Brady, 18, guilty of shooting Ed Appleby outside Visage nightclub at North Orange Blossom Trail and Clarcona-Ocoee Road.

Prosecutors Bill Vose and Jeff Jones maintain Brady intended to kill Appleby to avoid possible arrest in another shooting at the club a week earlier. They wanted a conviction on attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, which carries a minimum term of 25 years. Defense attorney Stan Halbert, however, wanted his client acquitted for shooting in self-defense. He argued Brady never realized Appleby, who chased him when he ran from the club, was a deputy.

''I must admit in this particular case, I believe justice may have been served,'' said Brady's father, Bill Brady. ''He (my son) has to learn something by his behavior . . . and I hope Appleby will learn something as well.''

Appleby, 33, said he knows he acted properly that night.

He was working an off-duty security job at the nightclub. During the night, deputies learned Brady was on the dance floor with a gun. He bolted, and Appleby gave chase.

Appleby, who says he shouted to identify himself, testified that Brady shot at him three times, hitting twice, while the two struggled. He said he shot Brady after that to subdue him, firing once when Brady grabbed his gun in an apparent attempt to shoot the deputy again.

Brady contended he ran from the club because a large group of people began chasing him. He said he was suddenly shot from behind by an unknown assailant. He said he never intended to kill anyone and only shot Appleby because he feared for his life. He never heard Appleby say he was a deputy and didn't see his uniform because it was dark.

Brady and Appleby, who at first was not expected to live, were hospitalized but recovered.

The case is not the end of Brady's legal troubles. He is charged with attempted murder and other crimes in the Visage shooting for which deputies wanted to question him. In that case, Tonya Harrell, 16, was shot in the hand while on the dance floor during New Year's Eve celebrations. The case is pending.